Sleep Labs Going to the Dogs

The idea is to create a homey environment, so patients can feel at ease and sleep. Germai said he has even allowed a patient to bring the family dog. The pet was allowed to visit because it was part of the patient’s sleep routine. The dog’s presence even helped doctors and technicans better understand some of the patient’s sleep problems.

http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/20 ... 246114.txt

(Can anyone teach me the reading technique that patient in the photo is using?)

The sleep lab I go to isn't going to the dogs, I already had my test for the year.

Gerry

"The dog’s presence even helped doctors and technicans better understand some of the patient’s sleep problems."

Wish they had elaborated more on that. My bet is that the dog jumping up on the bed, or turning around for a new sleep position during the night, or thump-scratching, or pawing at the bed ... things like that... may have been disturbing the person's sleep even if the person didn't wake up enough to be aware of it, but the sleep stage disruptions showed up in the PSG. Just a guess.

wrote: "The dog’s presence even helped doctors and technicans better understand some of the patient’s sleep problems."

Wish they had elaborated more on that. Just a guess.

I also had some guesses about what that dog was doing. But I figured I would spare the forum some vulgarity.

Rooster that is an easy one. The reading material is tattooed on the inside of the eyelids.

Rested Gal, that's what I got out of it too that they were trying to recreate things to be as close to home as possible. I do see a few problems with that. First off your dog or pet isn't going to sleep well in a strange place just like you won't, so I would think the dog would be moving about more and waking you more than at home.

The other thing to consider is what about other pt's who are allergic to your pet? Even some who is allergic and there the next night or two nights later. Just running a vacuum over the carpet isn't going to cut it. All the heating and cooling duct work have allowed the allergens to go throughout the building.

Gerry

P.S. I just saw the authors name
Ginger Shepherd
Yeah right someone writing about a sleep lab that has you bring your dog with and the reporters name is G Shepherd why not change your first name to German
HA.

G. Shepherd

Excellent catch GerryK.

Gerryk wrote:The other thing to consider is what about other pt's who are allergic to your pet? Even some who is allergic and there the next night or two nights later. Just running a vacuum over the carpet isn't going to cut it. All the heating and cooling duct work have allowed the allergens to go throughout the building.

Good point, Gerry. Probably not a good idea that they allowed a dog to "sleep in."

And that isn't even knowing what the state or local health board would say about a dog sleeping overnight. I don't think any state health board would look at that practice with a smile.

My nose is itching thinking about it.

Gerry

Gerryk wrote:And that isn't even knowing what the state or local health board would say about a dog sleeping overnight. I don't think any state health board would look at that practice with a smile.

My nose is itching thinking about it.

Gerry,

Hmm, I guess assistance dogs don't shed allergens! (Raw-fed dogs definitely shed fewer of them!)

What a horrible practice.

I would hope that one wouldn't need an assistance dog during your sleep study, the tech should be there to assit them with anything they need.

It has nothing to do if they shed or not, it is a health issue. We are not allowed to have a dog in any ambulance for any reason. We do however treat a dog as best we can. We have special masks for dogs and cats to give them oxygen or breath for them if they are in a fire and overcome by smoke. Yes, we have saved animals but not in our town, they were saved in another town when we were called in to assist.
The animals not being allowed into the ambulances is not our rule, it is the state health board. We are not even allowed to let people into an ambulance to look at it, they have to stand outside and look in.

I have never run into someone with an assistance animal, but I can tell you this. I would have my guys treat the person and deal with the health department later. I may get slapped on the wrist or or screamed at or threatened but sometimes that happens when you do the right thing.

Gerry

Guest wrote:What a horrible practice.

I would hope that one wouldn't need an assistance dog during your sleep study, the tech should be there to assit them with anything they need.

You may need to broaden your horizons a bit because there are many functions of an assistance dog that a tech would never be able to perform. Just 2 are detecting an iminent seizure or detecting low blood sugar.

Well,

As Michael Vick said, "I don't have a dog in this fight."

The points for and against having dogs present are both valid. It underscores the point that home-based sleep studies should be considered in many cases.

I do not intend to schedule a study at the same time and place that Timbalion has one.

Snorebert wrote:
I do not intend to schedule a study at the same time and place that Timbalion has one.

Guest wrote:What a horrible practice.

I would hope that one wouldn't need an assistance dog during your sleep study, the tech should be there to assit them with anything they need.

What, having a service dog to warn of low blood sugar or an impending seizure? Or giving comfort in a strange and frightening place?

My sleep techs were decent techs... but they had no idea how to help me get out of bed when my guts spasmed and I could not roll over in the bed.